It’s no secret that the priesthood in america is aging, quickly. But what if a part of the answer to the priest shortage is definitely ordaining more older priests? Deacon Steve Kramer thinks the church should get serious about late-in-life vocations—recruiting men within the 40s, 50s and even 60s who’ve had one other profession, who perhaps have been married and lost their spouse, for the priesthood. Then again, he thinks we should always be encouraging men of their 30s and 40s to think about becoming a deacon—a vocation normally related to more “mature” gentlemen.
During National Vocation Awareness week, we ask Deacon Steve concerning the growing role of deacons within the U.S. church, his experience joining the diaconate in his 30s (and with 4 young kids!) and what questions someone discerning a call to the priesthood or diaconate should ask themselves.
In Signs of the Times, Zac and Ashley talk with Colleen Dulle, the host of America Media’s “Contained in the Vatican” podcast, about French Cardinal Jean-Pierre Ricard, the previous head of the French bishops’ conference who admitted to abusing a 14-year-old girl 35 years ago. They ask: Have reforms aimed toward combatting clerical sexual abuse really brought accountability to the best levels of the church?
Links from the show:
What’s on tap?
Barolo
